The True Name of Rumpelstiltskin
by sesshouchan55
Summary: The typical Rumpelstiltkin's story but with a different ending... The Asami Ryuichi way I guess. （ ・ ）


**AN:** An answer to backtofive's challenge last September. :) **  
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Proofread and title by **Maya.D.L** （*´▽｀*）

* * *

 _ **Oh please my King! Please forgive me!"**_ The thief pleaded, on the floor of the ballroom of the old kingdom's castle.

 _ **"Get away you filthy low life! How dare you touch the food that does not belong to you?!"**_ The King bellowed.

 _ **"My King punish this man immediately! Your kingdom deserves not to have a thief like him!"**_ The noble adviser stated to the king.

The eyes of many looked down at him while he kneeled, begging for another day to see the sun rise without constraint, were like poison that slowly penetrated him (an acid slowly being poured into his skin) wounding his personality and dignity yet he would endured it for his family. His family, which has been starving for days now. Nevertheless, the people who were wearing fine gowns were no better than him, nothing but an eyesore to lower classes, beyond the Castle's wall. The Castle monopolizing the kingdom's food just for the King's seven-day birthday celebration was unfair for the middle class especially to low class families who were left with nothing. And the starving stomach of the lower classes brought many into action, trying to sneak in and get a portion big enough for their own families. They were desperate knowing that any day could have been their end. It was supposed to be a week of celebration for the kingdom but it turned out to be a torture to the people who were on the lowest rank of society. Unfortunately a man, with the name Takaba Ajiro who's famous for having golden hair, was caught and brought in front of the His majesty; not just to be humiliated but also to shove to his face how different the upper class are from him.

 _ **"Please forgive me my King. My family is poor and starving. It's been days since the last time we ate…"**_ Ajiro pleaded.

But instead of sympathy, he gained mocking from the crowd. They were laughing at him, throwing insults that he did not deserve. He was weeping thinking of his family back at their home, weak and hungry.

 _ **"I will. However there is one condition, old man."**_

 _ **"Anything my King!"**_

 _ **"Bring me your daughter. I heard her beauty is exquisite and my son here is willingly to take her as his bride."**_

 _ **"But my King…"**_ He tried reasoning but the king was not listening.

 _ **"Or…turn my straw into gold just like the rumors, then I will give you and your family everything you ever wanted."**_

The poor man was taken back. He was not expecting the king to believe such rumors that went around their small village. Rumors that they can spin straw into gold and all because they have golden hair. He wanted to laugh, such childish based rumors, but he can't. It'll be his head that paid for such laugher. However, the main point where he wanted to oppose the king was he does not have daughter. A son is all he had. In every aspect Ajiro could think of, there is no way his son could be mistaken for a girl. He may be thin and pale but with his short hair (even if it was long), Akihito is a man. A fine young, kind, and adorable man. But, he was too scared to correct the king.

Takaba Ajiro was sent home with his head bent low not knowing how he will break the news to his…son.

A week later…

 _ **"This will be your last chance to make them! The king is getting impatient!"**_ The soldiers shouted at him.

Being confined in the tallest tower in the kingdom and being shouted at from time to time made Akihito completely furious. He was forced to dress like a woman by his father, and now for the King to make such impossible commands made Akihito want to yell himself. But to fail means a death sentence not only for him but his parents as well. That is why even if he wanted to jump out of the tower he can't because of his family. He begged his father on his knees, weeping at the King's impossible command. His mother opposed it, but who are they to refuse the gracious request? They were considered no one but pest to the kingdom living in the deep forest just getting through by day. But Akihito felt guilt seeing how devastated his father was. If only he can turn himself into a woman, then he can throw himself into the arms of the Crowned Prince and be the solution to all his family's problems. Unfortunately, he could not. They couldn't bring the news to the royal family because they were expecting _her_ to be presented immediately. Thus, they chose the second option – to spin the straws into gold.

 _ **"This is a ludicrous joke. If my family's life was not on the line I would sit here and laugh at the king for believing in such stupid rumors."**_ Akihito stated as he stood up for the nth time and tried to fulfill the dreadful request, spinning and spinning the wooden wheel but regardless he still cannot do anything. Until a shadow from the corner started to talk.

 _ **"Hello there, my Dearest."**_

Akihito was shocked and wanted to run. But he couldn't, as if he was glued to his seat. He stared at the shadow as if it was something entertaining but he could not help thinking what terrible omen has appeared in front of him.

 _ **"And who you might be?"**_ He asked trying to hide the trembling of his hands on the spinning wheel.

 _ **"Your salvation."**_

 _ **"Is that meant to be a pick-up line?"**_

But the shadow that took the form of a man just smiled – one of the most handsome smiles he had ever seen not even the Prince could compete with it. He was dressed like royalty but his appearance screams power and mystery. He was neither a normal man nor a human being Akihito thought; yet the pale blonde could not look away from him. It was a shame to not look at him with his unusual piercing gold eyes. However, what came after was kind of unbelievable.

 _ **"I can turn your straw into gold and make the King happy."**_ The man said simply.

 _ **"I don't care about his happiness! I just want my freedom and my family's!"**_ Akihito yelled.

 _ **"But you can't get that unless you make the King happy."**_

That hit him. That is the truth after all. It has to be the King's happiness first before anything else. It was then Akihito complied with a sigh.

 _ **"And in return, what do you want?"**_

 _ **"I want the most precious thing you'll ever have."**_

Taken back, the young man thought about what his precious thing were but he couldn't think of any. He was a simple man that does not have anything that anyone could ever be interested in. His family is all he could think of.

 _ **"Meaning after you completed my request, is that it? And if I fail to comply?"**_ Akihito asked.

 _ **"Then you will be answering to my every request."**_

 _ **"That's absurd! I am my own and I do not present myself just to be at somebody's mercy!"**_

 _ **"Then you'll have to see your father's body,**_ **lifeless** _ **, presented in front of you."**_

It was a great realization that brought Akihito to his knees. He cannot bear to see his father hurt let alone killed. He was there in the first place to save them not to bring any more misfortune to them.

 _ **"—cept..."**_ Muttering Akihito answered.

 _ **"What is it, my Dearest?"**_

 _ **"I accept. Turned the straw into gold and I will give you what you request."**_

It was too late to take back his words but the way the man gave a sinister smile, and how his golden eyes glowed in triumph, sent chills all over his body. If only there was another way.

 _ **"My pleasure, my**_ **princess** _ **."**_ He said.

Two days after, Akihito made his appearance to show the king _his_ work. The king laughed and laughed. He was very pleased that his control over the kingdom would be very, very long. The amount of gold in Akihito's tower could bring anyone to King's feet for mercy. But not with Akihito.

 _ **"I've completed your request, My King. I should take my leave now and bring the good news to my father."**_ Akihito stated simply.

 _ **"Not so fast, young lady."**_

The guards, moving at the King's command, restrained the _lady_ and stopped her from leaving.

 _ **"What is meaning of this?!"**_ Akihito demanded.

 _ **"I will have you marry my son."**_ Said the King.

 _ **"I will never—"**_ Akihito tried to answer back but was cut off by the king.

 _ **"You don't have a say in this, I must say."**_ The King firmly said towering the nearly weeping Akihito.

 _ **"Shall I rephrase it for you, My Lady, to understand? I command you to marry my son."**_

The guards carried the struggling _woman_ to _her_ chamber and locked _her_ in, waiting for the King's announcement of the wedding. Honestly, did everybody really believe that he is a female? He was clearly a boy! Akihito could not understand how they could ever see him as a woman. And now the King had sentenced him or _her_ to marry his son. It was a stupid idea but the pale skinned blonde has no say in that matter. Akihito cannot believe what had just happened. He tried to calm his fire inside, but all he wanted to do was to go out and shout his frustrations. But he realized that it would not solve his current dilemma. He was once again in a tower with nothing but himself. Thankfully it was a cleaner and nicer one than his previous room.

Akihito looked around for an escape route but although the room was open there was none. The window was wide open but there was nothing he could use to get down to the ground with. There were some vines, running alongside the tower wall, he could use but he was not taking his chances. He was light but vines are something not even he could use with his weight. His room was high enough that he could feel the chill of the wind that passes over his windows. The King did not want to risk Akihito escaping. The greedy, lying King was just taking from Akihito without even asking, just what one would expect from a royal, Akihito and his family were fools to believe that the King would send him free especially now that he proved that he was an asset.

It was at this moment that Akihito lost all hope of freedom, and slumped in the middle of the room knowing that he would never be able to step a foot outside. He missed his family, their house, his bed, and the plants he used to tend every day. He missed everything.

Shoulders bent, Akihito was about to give up all hope. However it was brought back by the echo that traveled with the wind...

 _ **"Tomorrow I claim the prize I desire, a prize that not even the king can take for no one knows the true name of Rumplestiltskin."**_

Akihito was confused because the chant was so clear that he thought the one singing was close but how could that be? He was chambered in a high tower! Then, Akihito remembered the man who helped him.

 _ **"There's no way!"**_

He looked down to see where it came from but he couldn't see anything other then bricks and clouds. He was hoping that _he_ could help him _again._

 _ **"Some say that my name is Rumplestiltskin."**_

Akihito jumped and nearly lost his footing when a sudden whisper came into his ear. Luckily, a strong hand gripped his arm and stopped his fall. He thought he had been all alone but it was clear, clearer than the blue sky, that there was a man with him in the tower! However...

 _ **"You!"**_

 _ **"Me?"**_ The man answered with a smirk _ **.**_

 _ **"Yes you!**_ " Akihito shouted as he free himself from the grip of the man.

 _ **"You're the man from two days ago! You turned the straw into gold!"**_ He blurted out. Akihito remembered his surprised when he witnessed what had happened when the man started to spin the wheel. Everything he put in there really turned into a shining fine string of gold. Akihito had kept his questions to himself, but now it's different. He wanted the truth from him.

 _ **"What are you...?"**_ Akihito questioned.

 _ **"I told you, I am your salvation. I can help you."**_

 _ **"But... I've got nothing to..."**_

 _ **"You must've forgotten about it my dear, you see...your payment was more valuable than your previous request and I am generous so I would like to grant you another one. "**_

 _ **"Wha—"**_ Akihito tried to say.

 _ **"However, my Dearest, you'll give me the most precious thing you'll have after all this."**_ Interrupting, the shadow said.

For the second time in span of a week, Akihito was once again in deep confusion. He couldn't really comprehend what the man wanted from him. He has nothing. He only has his family; Akihito got no money, no gems, and no territory, nothing to his name. But the man was insisting his prized possession, which Akihito himself didn't know.

 _ **Now my dear, are you ready to make your wish?**_ The man asked as he smirked and his golden eyes sparkled with excitement.

Akihito was afraid for a moment but then he realized, only this man or creature has the way to get him out of this situation. Akihito wanted to go back to his old life, the one that needed no lies – the life he had been living before it came so complicated.

One final look at the tall man and Akihito finally said yes to their agreement.

A chant was said and a black smoke appeared, time stopped before everything went spinning. Rumplestiltskin or rather Asami Ryuichi slowly waved his hand, chanting the spell that would change the destiny of his _beloved_ , forever.

In a land far away, there was a family living in the deep green forest. No one knows where they came from, some locals say they were fugitive and some says they were not. But despite of what the people thought of them, the Takaba family lived a peaceful life. The father, who does not remember anything of his ordeal at the castle, now works hard so his family could have food on their table. The mother who kept their home organize and warm for their child – the five year old little girl who brought laughter and life to their little humble home.

Unknown to their joyful moments, a pair of hazel eyes were watching them not far away. Envious of how his former father and mother's eyes glowed with bliss as they watched their little daughter, who Akihito never thought he _had_ , dance under the sun.

 _ **"Every spell comes with a price, my Dearest. And you paid it well."**_

A hand suddenly touched his skin, tracing his cheek.

Under any other situation Akihito would have jolted and slap the hand but he's now _used_ to it.

Ever since Rumple...or Asami, as what he prefers him to be called, caught him and changed everything...the older man kept touching him, embracing him making him understand that there is no boundary to the human body in acceptance of _relationship_. Yet, unlike his body reaction, his eyes tell a different story. The once envious gaze is now fierce and angry. Akihito felt robbed because he never thought the prize would be his family, well his family was all he could recall but still! And if only he knew, he would never agree to it.

 _ **"Don't look at me like that, my Dear."**_ Asami said walking away from their position as he dragged Akihito with him.

 _ **"It's you."**_

 _ **"Me**_ **?** _ **How dare you! You're the one who didn't—**_

 _ **"No... It's you, my Akihito."**_ Asami pulled Akihito closer until the young man could no longer escape the older man's embrace. Akihito knew it was futile to get away so he remained in Asami's embrace.

 _ **"Your most loved possession...is not them."**_ Asami pointed in the family's direction.

 _ **"What ? Are out of your mind?! Of course it's them!"**_ Akihito answered angrily.

 _ **"It's not them its Freedom, my Akihito. Freedom is the most precious thing to you, love. Freedom from all the chains in your life; freedom from poverty you've been facing until recently, the ties your family put you into and freedom from the life you forced to live. You wanted to get away. And that, my Dearest, is your true desire."**_

 _ **"And now your freedom...is mine, my dearest Akihito."**_ Asami whispered into Akihito's ear.

A kiss would have sealed it but the man enjoyed the emotions that that came forward from his love. Better days would be coming he says. Magic would be boring now that Asami got his true desire. He pledged that he will ever provide whatever his Dearest wanted, as long as Akihito's freedom stayed sealed within Asami's palm, he will never let him go. Akihito would realize it in the near future that it'll be Asami he will be asking everything from now on.

And his name would be the only one Akihito would call until his last breathe.


End file.
